Ultrasound waves have been widely used in medical applications. For example, ultrasound waves have been used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, as well as in many industrial applications. One diagnostic use of ultrasound waves includes using ultrasonic waves to detect underlying structures in an object or a human tissue. In this procedure, an ultrasonic transducer is placed in contact with the object or tissue via a coupling medium and high frequency (1-10 MHz) ultrasonic waves are directed into the tissue. Upon contact with various underlying structures, the waves are reflected back to a receiver adjacent the transducer. By comparison of the signals of the ultrasonic wave as sent with the reflected ultrasonic wave as received, an image of the underlying structure can be produced. This technique is particularly useful for identifying boundaries between components of tissue and can be used to detect irregular masses, tumors, and the like.
In addition to diagnostic uses, ultrasonic energy can also be used for therapeutic purposes. Two therapeutic medical uses of ultrasound waves include aerosol mist production and contact physiotherapy. Aerosol mist production makes use of a nebulizer or inhaler to produce an aerosol mist for creating a humid environment and delivering drugs to the lungs. In particular, ultrasonic nebulizers operate by the passage of ultrasound waves of sufficient intensity through a liquid, the waves being directed at an air-liquid interface of the liquid at a point underneath or within the liquid. Liquid particles are ejected from the surface of the liquid into the surrounding air following the disintegration of capillary waves produced by the ultrasound. This technique can produce a very fine dense fog or mist. Aerosol mists produced by ultrasound are preferred over aerosol mists produced by other methods because a smaller particle size of aerosol can be obtained with the ultrasonic waves. One of the major shortcoming of inhalers and nebulizers is that the aerosol mist cannot be directed to a target area without an air stream, which decreases the efficiency of ultrasound.
Contact physiotherapy applies ultrasonic waves directly to tissue in an attempt to produce a physical change in the tissue. In conventional ultrasound physiotherapy, an ultrasonic wave contacts the tissue via a coupling medium. This direct contact, even if via a coupling medium, may be undesirable for certain medical applications, such as in the treatment of open wounds resulting from, for example, trauma, burns, and surgical interventions.
Commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,099 discloses an ultrasonic device and method for wound treatment, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. This patent discloses, inter alia, a device that sprays liquid particles to a wound via an applicator. The liquid particles provide a medium for propagation of the ultrasonic waves. Commonly-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/473,934, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a removable applicator nozzle for an ultrasound wound therapy device. The disclosed devices and systems can be used in non-contact methods for delivering ultrasonic energy via a liquid mist.
The present invention provides an improved applicator and kits. These applicators and kits have numerous uses, for example, in methods for delivering ultrasound energy from a non-contact distance.